The brave Chauhan ruler of Ajmer who conquered Delhi and annexed it in his kingdom was –

Correct — option (1), Vigraharaj IV.

Vigraharaja IV, also known as Visaladeva (Bisaladeva), took Delhi from the Tomaras. The Ajmer District Gazetteer (1966) says: 'He conquered Dhillika (Delhi) from the Tomaras, and took possession of Asika, modern Hansi'.

Dasharatha Sharma's Early Chauhan Dynasties bases this on the Bijolia inscription, which credits Vigraharaja IV with capturing Delhi and Hansi.

He adds that an old bahi (a traditional register) in his own library places the battle in which the Tomaras lost Delhi in Vikrama year 1209, which falls in 1152–53 CE. He calls the date not unreasonable, 'though it is not possible to vouch for its absolute accuracy'.

Sharma writes that after this, the Tomara kingdom continued as a dependency of the Chauhans of Sakambhari.

The idea to remember: Delhi came to the Chauhans under Vigraharaja IV, a generation before Prithviraj III.

Why the others are wrong

• (2)
  Arnoraj — Arnoraja, Vigraharaja's father, fought the Tomaras but did not end their rule. Sharma credits his reign with 'some notable successes', but says it was Vigraharaja who dealt the final blow to Tomara independence.

  Arnoraja is remembered at Ajmer for the Anasagar lake, which the gazetteer says he built on the plain where he defeated the invading Turushkas.

• (3)
  Ajayaraj — Ajayaraja is linked with Ajmer itself, not with Delhi. Sources differ on how: the gazetteer reports that Sharma is inclined to credit him with founding the city, while H.B. Sarda held that he added to a town founded earlier by Ajayapal.

  Ajayaraja is said to have abdicated in favour of his son Arnoraja; the conquest of Delhi came under his grandson.

• (4)
  Prithviraj III — Prithviraja III did rule Delhi, but he inherited it; he did not conquer it. He was Arnoraja's grandson, so Vigraharaja IV was his uncle.

  In his time, the gazetteer says, the Sakambhari kingdom included Hansi and Dhillika, and at Tarain the Tomar chieftain Govindraj of Delhi fought on his side. Sharma calls Govindaraja the feudatory ruler of Delhi.

The Chauhans (Chahamanas) of Sakambhari ruled from Sambhar and later Ajmer. The Tomaras held Delhi to their north-east, and the two dynasties fought over a long period.

Sharma traces that struggle back to Chandanaraja, notes Arnoraja's successes, and ends it with Vigraharaja IV's capture of Delhi and Hansi. The Tomaras then ruled Delhi as Chauhan dependants.

So 'who conquered Delhi' and 'who ruled Delhi' have different answers.

Key facts

• The Ajmer District Gazetteer (1966) gives Vigraharaja IV's known dates as 1153 to 1163 CE, and says he conquered Dhillika (Delhi) from the Tomaras.
• The Bijolia inscription credits Vigraharaja IV with capturing Delhi and Hansi (Asika), according to Dasharatha Sharma.
• An old bahi cited by Sharma dates the Tomaras' loss of Delhi to Vikrama year 1209 (1152–53 CE); Sharma says he cannot vouch for its absolute accuracy.
• Vigraharaja IV's inscription on the Siwalik pillar of Ashoka, now in Delhi, is dated Vikrama year 1220, which Sharma equates with 1164 CE.
• At Ajmer, Vigraharaja IV built a Sanskrit college that later became the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra mosque.

Common traps

• Choosing Prithviraj III because Delhi was part of his kingdom: he inherited Delhi, which Vigraharaja IV had conquered.
• Choosing Arnoraja because he fought the Tomaras: Sharma credits him with successes, but gives the conquest to Vigraharaja IV.
• Reading 'annexed' as the end of Tomara rule: Sharma says the Tomara kingdom continued as a dependency of the Chauhans.

UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2013 here once that paper is published on this site.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Anasagar lake at Ajmer was built by which Chauhan ruler?

  • (a)Ajayaraja
  • (b)Arnoraja
  • (c)Vigraharaja IV
  • (d)Prithviraja III
  Answer(2) — The Ajmer District Gazetteer credits Arnoraja with building Anasagar on the plain where he defeated the Turushkas. Option (1) is linked with founding Ajmer; option (3) conquered Delhi; option (4) inherited that kingdom and fought at Tarain.
• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Sanskrit college at Ajmer that was later converted into the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra was built by:

  • (a)Vigraharaja IV
  • (b)Arnoraja
  • (c)Someshvara
  • (d)Ajayaraja
  Answer(1) — The Ajmer District Gazetteer says two small inscriptions found at the site prove that Vigraharaja IV built it. Option (2) is credited with Anasagar; option (4) with Ajmer's founding; option (3), Prithviraja III's father, is not credited with it in that account.